


Predators

by KirjavaCat



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-27
Updated: 2018-09-27
Packaged: 2019-07-18 02:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 4,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16108658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirjavaCat/pseuds/KirjavaCat
Summary: Waking up without any memories of herself, Desirée has to decide who to trust, and find out what to do to escape the ones who stole her memories in the first place.





	1. Prologue

The fox ran desperately between the trees. Occasionally, it looked back, green eyes searching for something in the dark.  
Arriving at the limits of the woods, the fox stopped. A road crossed it's path, but it couldn't stop.

Frightened, it looked back once more, breathing in, searching for a scent it hadn't noticed before. It's ears moved, trying to hear something other than rain and occasional cars.

"Useless" - it thought, and, jumping the small fence between the forest and the road, it started to run again...

Until a car honked loudly and light enveloped the animal.


	2. “It feels like I’ve just begun”

She woke up on a hospital bed.

Her entire body was aching, but she forced herself to sit up.

"They are coming for you" - a voice inside her head said - "Run." - it urged.

She raised her hand to her forehead and noticed a tube linked to her arm. Quickly, she pulled it out and held a finger over the hole, looking around.

"Run" - it said again, and now she could tell it was someone else's voice, deep and strong.

She stood up, and pain spreaded through her whole body.

"Don't give up! They are near, but so are we. Come to the forest."

Feeling sick and dizzy, she opened the window.

"Second floor" - she thought - "I'll survive"

And she jumped, as the other voice in her head screamed.

Rising from the bushes she fell in, she looked around. She could see perfectly, even in the moonless night, and she ran like her life depended on it.

She had the feeling it really did, and that strange voice in her head only confirmed it.

\----------------------------------------

She ran for as long as she could, even with all her muscles complaining. No real direction, just as far away from the hospital as she could. When she couldn't run anymore, she kept walking. And when she couldn't walk anymore, she heard the voice again:

"We're close, angel. Don't fall asleep"  
But that was too much to ask for, and she layed down, slowly starting to close her eyes.

A few minutes later, a lion came running from behind her, and almost stepped on her.

Half conscient, all she had forces to do was stare into its eyes, until all fur disappeared and she found herself looking into the eyes of a boy.

"What...." - she mumbled - "Who are you?"


	3. “Because I have faith in you”

When she woke up again all she could see was moving trees and the boy's face upon her. He looked down, blond hair falling over his eyes, and smiled.

"Hey angel" - he said - "How are you feeling?"

"Dizzy. Where am I?" - she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He stopped and put her down, then looked around.

"Ugh.... I think we're somewhere in Germany. Not sure though." - he looked deep into her eyes, and she took a step back - "We were very worried. Mom, dad, our grandparents, James... No one could find you anywhere."

So this was her brother? They did look alike, same light hair, same eyes... But she couldn't remember him.

In fact, she couldn't remember anything before waking up at the hospital. Sudently, he looked sad.

"You don't remember us." - he whispered, and she felt ashamed.

If this was her brother (and she could only believe he was), she should remember him.

"I'm sorry..." - she said - "I don't even remember my own name..."

"Your name is Desirée, and I'm Merlion, your twin brother. You really don't remember any of this, do you?"

Yes, Desirée seemed like her name, something she should answer by. But Merlion? She remembered nothing about him.

Desirée looked sideways at him.

"Are you sure of this?" - she asked.

"Ugh, yeah. Do you need proof that I'm on your side?" - he now looked angry as well - "who do you think you were listening back at the hospital? Who freaked out when you jumped out the window? Who would know you did?? I was there through your eyes and I told you to run!"

As she blinked, confused, the voice in her head spoke again, and this time she could recognize the voice, for it really was Merlion's.

"Next time you go missing and decide to erase all your memories, leave your twin out of it." - she heard, and he sat down. - "I think its time to take a break."

She also sat down, studying his face.

"I'm sorry I don't remember you, Merlion." - she said. He looked up, and smiled sadly.

"It's ok, I guess. You will eventually. Mom will be really angry if you don't remember her first, though."


	4. “I felt your arms twisted around me”

They kept walking for another day, until Merlion sudently signed her to stop.

"What's wrong-" - she said, and he quickly held a hand over her mouth.

He looked around, and focused his glaze somewhere right behind Desirée. Pushing her behind him and holding her there, he made a strange sound from the back of his throat.

"I don't recognize your scent. Show yourself now or I'll attack." - Merlion said, holding her even tighter.

"That's because I changed my deodorant, Merlion. Thanks for noticing" - someone said, and a wolf appeard from behind a tree.

"F*ck you, James." - Merlion replied, letting go of his sister - "Don't go scaring me like that, especially here"

When Desirée finally managed to take a look at who arrived, a boy stared at her.

"Desirée??" - he said, running up to her and hugging her tightly. She awkwardly pat his shoulder, as he burried his face in the curve of her neck.

"Uh... Hi" - she said, when he finally let her go, still holding her shoulders with both hands.

He put a hand over her cheek, a silly smile on his face, and Desirée took a step back.

"I'm sorry, I..." - she turned to Merlion and whispered - "Should I recognize this gentleman?"

James looked at her, smile fading, and then a stick on the ground seemed much more interesting.

"I have really good ears, you know..." - he mumbled - "And yes, I guess you should."

"Oh man..." - Merlion whispered, as James ran in the direction he came. - "That was your boyfriend, Desirée. I mean I think he was, you guys had a very complex relationship... He is also our best friend." - and saying that he ran after James.

"Yeah, just leave me here alone, great idea..." - she whispered, sitting on the ground - "It's not like I have no idea of what's going on anyway... I'll just wait for you manly men to come back rescue me... AGAIN."

Some minutes passed, until she finally sighted and screamed to them:

"I HOPE I WON'T LOSE MY MEMORY AGAIN IF SOMEONE CAPTURES ME WHILE YOU GUYS ARE GONE."

About a minute later both came running back to where she was.

"Are you insane?? What if someone hears you???" - Merlion said, and she stared at James. He looked as if he hadn't have a good night of sleep for weeks.

"At least now I have two knights to protect me if someone comes. I didn't even remember my own name, how could I remember how to fight?"

"If someone came, Desirée, two knights wouldn't be enough to protect you." - James said, and she remained silent for the rest of the day.


	5. “Missing you is a slow burn”

The trio walked even further for hours, awkward silence surounding them.

"James?" - Desirée finally spoke, on the next day - "Can we talk?"

"Sure." - he said sitting down in a fallen brench - "What about?"

"Merlion, can you give us a second?" - she asked, and he nodded, walking away - "Look, I'm really sorry for... Forgetting."

James crossed his arms, looking away.

"It's not your fault, Desirée. I don't know what made you forget, but I'm sure you didn't want this." - his eyes met hers, and smiled sadly - "At least my Desirée wouldn't."

She blushed, while he ran his hand through his dark hair.

"I'm really glad you're ok" - he added - "Even if you don't remember me. I was worried, you were gone for too long on a simple quest and... I didn't know what to think."

Sudently, she felt the urge to hug him. And she would have, if a ray of sun didn't reflect on a chain around his neck.

"What's this?" - she asked, pulling it out of his shirt.

A silver chain held a small dream catcher, with tinny silver feathers hanging from it. James touched it and his eyes light up.

"It's yours actually" - he said, taking it out and putting it on her neck - "You left it with me before you disappeard. It's a dream catcher, but it never worked with me anyway."

"You've been having nightmares frequently, haven't you?"

"Yes, ever since you left. I guess you are my dream catcher." - he smiled, but then frowned again - "Sorry, I... Sorry."

"It's ok. James, I feel things sometimes that I can't explain. Like when Merlion told me my name, I knew that wasn't a lie." - she held his hand - "You're not lying."

He stood up, still holding her hand.

"Maybe you just need time. Maybe you'll remember it soon."

"I hope I do." - she said, letting go of his hand and walking in the direction of her brother. - "What a story we must have had."


	6. “I’m a slave to your games”

A few days later, Desirée woke up with a lion beside her. Backing away as fast as she dared, she searched for James and Merlion in the surroundings.

"What's wrong, Desirée?" - James asked, from above her.

She quickly climbed the tree he was on, whispering as she teached him: "There's a HUGE lion down there and you let me sleep right beside it??"

He laughed, and the lion's ears moved. She grabed his arm, looking concerned at the ground.

"Weren't we in Europe? Since when do lions live in Europe's wilderness?"

"That's Merlion, silly." - James said, still smiling.

"That's not Merlion, that is a LION. No MER. Are you insane??"

"I forgot you forgot." - he answered, jumping to the ground.

"YO MERLION" - he said, kneeling next to the feline and poking it. - "Merliooooooon"

"James, get out of there!!" - Desirée begged, wide-eyed.

The lion opened slowly it's eyes, fixing them on James. The boy moved his hands quickly and then stood up, backing away slowly.

"You were right, Desirée. This isn't Merlion." - he said, as the feline took a step foward. She saw it's back tensioning, and without another thought  jumped down from the tree, grabing James' hand and running.

But he triped, falling and taking her with him, while the lion teached them and stood atop of both.

As it roared, Desirée closed her eyes and held James tightly, until she noticed he was laughing, along with Merlion, who now stood in front of them.

She slowly opened her eyes.

"What...?" - she mumbled, still wide-eyed.

Merlion helped them up, smiling.

"Good morning, angel" - he said - "How was the night?"

"How did you... HOW?"

"I think it's time we enlighten her, James." - her brother said, smile slowly fading.


	7. “It’s just temporary bliss”

"We change, angel." - Merlion said, after they sat down - "I turn into a lion, James into a wolf. Our grandparents were part of an government experiment, durning the last great war. They don't talk much about it, but we know it's hereditary, although most of us are uncapable of having children.

"That's why they're chasing us: we, our parents and grandparents, were MADE by them, thecnically being their weapons and test rats. When they find someone who doesn't cooperate, they kill them. Mercylessly."

She kept quiet for several minutes, his words sinking into her heart.

"Where are we going now, then?" - she finally asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"We're going home" - James replied - "Your mother's probably picking fights with everyone to be able to come find you."

Merlion smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"We're about one day from there, if we walk. We should hurry tho... Mom doesn't like waiting."

 

\--------------------—-------------------

A tall, slim woman came running their way, just as they stepped into the small village, while a bunch of other people stared at Desirée.

The woman colided into her, hugging her so tight she could hardly breathe.

"Mom!" - Merlion threw himself between them - "Mom, you're crushing her." - then he whispered, as if Desirée shouldn't hear - "she lost all her memories."

The older lady stared at her, and her smile faded.

"Oh no, Desi..." - their mother cried, holding her hands. - "You have to speak to your father. He'll know what to do."

And she pratically draged her daughter to one of the houses around them.

As they came in, a tall man stood up, taking off his glasses and putting away a book.

Looking into her eyes the smile that started to appear was gone.

"Never had I seen someone look so lost in their own home before. Except for myself, I must say..."

Desirée looked at him blankly, questions in her eyes.

"I've been there, sweetheart." - he said as her mother left the room. Then, opening his arms to her, he smiled sadly -"It'll all come back slowly, but you'll remember everything eventually."

She hugged him, and his smell was so familiar yet so unknown that she couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"Why can't I reach the memories?" - she cried - "I feel like they're there, and I'm almost reaching them, I'm almost remembering. But then, right before I do, they slip away again!"

"You did this. You blocked your own mind from them," - her father whispered, running his hand through her hair - "I don't know why, but I can surely imagine."

"Thank you." - she said, letting go of him and wipping away the tears.

"Anytime, sweetheart."

"DINNER!" - her mother called from the kitchen -"You and your brother look like you haven't eaten for ages!"


	8. “It looks like you might be one of us”

After dinner, Merlion took her hand and led her through the house, going upstairs.

"You must be exausted" - he said, gesturing a closed door - "This is your room, if you need anything, I'll be right next door, in mine."

Merlion closed his own door, smiling at her.

Desirée took a deep breath putting a hand over the door handle. Opening it at once, a tidy room greeted her. On the right there was a simple bed with dark blue sheets. On the left, the door to a small bathroom stood beside a working table and a bookshelf. Lots of pictures covered all walls, some of her, some of her parents and Merlion, a few of James and tons of random animals and nature in general. A window right in front of her let to a meadow where small yellow flowers grew.

Desirée stepped into the room, closing the door and noticing an wardrobe next to it.

She opened the drawers, picking a simple pair of jeans and a plain black t-shirt, and headed to the bathroom, locking the door.

\----------------------------------------

Half an hour later, Desirée was laying on her bed, staring at the photos on the wall beside her.

One of them showed Merlion and her standing side by side, in front of a wall with marks of previous heights of them on it, a reminder of their childhood. On the picture next to it, she appeard smiling, with a pro camera in hands, surounded by trees. Another showed the twins blowing the candles of their 10th birthday cake.

Someone knocked on the door, and she quickly got up.

"Come in." - she called, while James walked in.

"Hey" - he said, sitting down at her bed. - "I thought you might like some company..."

"Sure." - she sat next to him - "This pictures are cool."

"Yeah, you like taking photos. Most of them are by you, but not all of them." - he pointed to the one in which she was holding the camera - "That one was taken by me, for example."

"Was I a bookworm too?" - she asked, looking at the bookshelf.

"A major one." - he laughed - "The good part is that you get to read all your books again like it was the first time."

Desirée smiled. Standing up, she passed a finger through the books' spines.

"Which one was my favorite?"

"Hard question... This is the last you cired about" - he pulled out a book with a girl in a nice dress on the cover - "That must say something." 

"The Siren" - she read the tittle out loud - "Seems... Girly."

"I think it is." - They both stayed quiet for a while, sitting back on the bed. James moved his hands quickly on a strange pattern.

Desirée sudently held his hand to stop him.

"What are you doing?" - she asked, letting go of his hand.

"It's a silly code you, me and Merlion made up when we were little."

And they spent the rest of the afternoon practicing it, until Desirée fell asleep and James left silently.


	9. “If you can hear me now...”

In her dream Desirée ran through a forest. She could see someone running in front of her, a girl in a white dress, not older than 14. The girl looked back from time to time, and the older girl could see tears in her eyes.

"Wait!" - Desirée screamed, trying desperately to get to the girl - "Wait, I won't hurt you!"

"Desirée please... Don't come back, don't come back for me."- the girl shouted back, and now the back of her dress started to turn red, as blood spreaded through it -"You're safe now!"

"I promissed!!" - she replied - "I will come back!"

The girl just shook her head, turning into a colorful bird and flying away, and Desirée tryied to shout out her name.

It all became foggy before she could remember where she’d seen the girl before, what promise she made. Bird, trees, moon, everything dissolved as she woke up.

 

\------------------------------

She knocked on her brother's door. The clock on the wall showed 2am, but she couldn't sleep anymore.

"Merlion" - she sighted as he opened it, still half asleep. - "I am going back."

"What?" - he asked, then frowned - "No, you are not. Are you insane?"

"I have to. I promissed." - she whispered, and somehow she knew it was true, just as she knew her name. - "I left someone behind and I have to go back. I'll leave soon, I just told you because maybe you'd like to go with me..."

"You truthly are insane." - he ran his hands through his messy hair - "Are you sure of this, angel?"

"I am. You don't have to go with me if you don't want to..."

"You won't get rid of me so easyly. Also, I bet you don’t even know where you’re going. We leave in one hour. And James comes with us." - he said, going back to bed - "I hope you know what you're doing."

She nodded as he closed his door, and went to her room.

Picking some clothes and a few items that seemed useful, she closed a backpack and left it beside her bed, laying on it as she stared once more to the pictures on the walls.

\---------------------------------

"You're insane." -James said, after she told him she had to go back.

"Yeah, so I've been told. Listen, you don't have to go if you don't want to." - she said, fixing her backpack on her shoulders.

Merlion stood beside her, also carrying a bag, and rolled his eyes.

"Like I would want to deal with your mother again when both her kids go missing this time." - he said. -"Give me half an hour and we can go."


	10. “...I’m reaching out to let you know that you’re not alone”

On the third night away she caught the girl's hand.

"Please. Stop running from me." - she said, and the younger girl turned to her.

"I can't watch it all over again, Desirée. Please go back." - she replied, and Desirée stared, in shock, as deep cuts appeard in her arms, and blood dripped from them -"It's nothing..."

"Let me help you! Help me get to you!" - she begged, but the girl shook her head.

"It is nothing"- she repeated - "compared to what they would do to you."

 

\-----------------------------------------

Desirée sat up quickly, fighting to breathe.

"Hey." - Merlion said, putting his hand on her shoulder -"It's ok, we're here. You're ok, see?"

She looked around, desperately trying to find the girl from her dreams.

"She's hurting, they are hurting her. We need to go faster!" - she said, pulling her cover back and standing up.

"Desirée, we don't even know where she is, or who she is." - James said, opening his eyes. - "Rest now, you'll need the energy later."

"Every second I waste is more than I can take..." - she mumbled, but reluctantly layed down again - "I hope we find her soon."

"We do too, angel. Go back to sleep now, I'm on watch."

\-----------------------------------------

She heard a violin. Why did she hear a violin?

"You won't give up, will you?" - the girl said, putting down the instrument.

"I made a promise. I won't leave you behind." - Desirée said, reaching for the girl's hand - "Please tell me where you are..."

The image changed, and a military base appeard in front of her.

"It's between Germany and France. Be careful, they know your name, but I don't think they know your face."

"I'm coming for you. Hang in there, ok? I'm almost there."

The girl smiled, picking up the violin again.

"Your dreams are sweet." - she said, and started to play once more.

\-----------------------------------------

"The border between France and Germany." - Desirée said on the next morning - "It's a military base and It looks all new and shinny."

"And sudently you know exactly where we must go." - James took a bite on an apple they collected from a nearby tree.

"It's more of a feeling than a memory, but it feels right. Plus, I think I got one memory back right after I saw the camp." - of course she would never admit the first memory she got back was from her being beaten up on a base similar to the one in her dream, but she thought this should convince the boys - "Perhaps I'll remember more if we go there."  
They sat quietly for a while.

"Well..." - Merlion said - "At least now we have an idea on where to go."


	11. “Don’t forget to look before you fall”

"Where are we?" - Desirée asked, as a town appeard in front of them. The transition between the citty and the trees was subtle, a house here, a highway there, and it rose in front of them.

"Lux, sis." - Merlion gestured, looking as tired as she felt - "Welcome to Luxembourg."

"I feel stupid for just asking questions all the time, maybe next time you could tell me before we reach an important reference point." - she added.

Desirée looked sideways at James for suport, but he had his eyes closed even as they walked, his feet looking heavier every step he took.

"Perhaps," - she continued -"we should look for some place to sleep and have a proper meal. And maybe call mom and dad."

"Yeah" - Merlion mumbled, and imediatelly crossed the street to talk to a girl about their age.

Desirée stoped walking and held James' hand so that he would wake up. He opened his eyes abruptely and looked at her for a second then sighted and looked away.

"Merlion?" - he asked, his voice rough and low, for he hadn’t used it in some time. It started a funny feeling in her stomach, and all she managed to do was point to the other side of the street, where the girl and her brother talked.

The girl was tall and slim, with a stylish red coat and leather boots, and her chocolate brown hair was perfectly falling over her shoulders. Merlion smiled to her once more, not seeming tired anymore, and walked back to them.

"There's a good hotel down the next street, about two blocks from here."

And so the small group stumbled that way, and reaching a small stone building Merlion stoped.

 

"This should be it. Now, angel, please act as if you know what's going on. James, you're the oldest and our parents should be here soon. we'll need 2 rooms, one for us and one for them." - he said, and walked determined into the hotel.

"I hope this works better than last time..." - James mumbled, and they both followed Merlion.


	12. “We found wonderland, you and I got lost in it”

The boys laughed in front of all the food they ordered, and Desirée was laying on a bed, smiling.

"How did she even believe that? Man, that was the worst lie I ever told!" - Merlion said, bitting his pizza slice and turning on the hotel room's TV.

"The four suspects haven't been identified by the police yet." - the news lady anounced, as a picture from Desirée, James, Merlion and the random girl on the street flashed on the screen. All laughter died imediately, and Desirée sat up abruptly.

"Is that... Us?" - she mumbled.

“Sh*t” - Merlion cursed.

The news lady continued with the (duh) news, and sudently they heard a knock on the door.

"Double sh*t" - James added, but the girl stood up and walked to the door, signing the boys to hide, to which they vanished into the hotel room.

Opening the door, Desirée saw the girl from the street, and she pushed her way in, locking the door behind her.

"What the heck..."

"Don't act like you're surprised. I didn't want to get caught either, but with us all together no one could ignore us."

"Excuse me?" 

"Where are the boys?" - she waved a gloved hand, and Desirée noticed a small golden bracelet on her wrist.

"What are you talking about??"

"Just tell me where they are, honey, and let's get this over with. We've got things to do and now we're on the news" - she pointed to the TV, still on -"we'll have to do it even faster. No time to lose."

Desirée looked up to the much taller girl, challenge burning in her green eyes.

"They left." - she hissed and in about one second she was stranded between the wall and the wild brunette, a blade pressed against her neck.

"I'll try one more time." - the girl whispered to her ear, putting more pressure into her skin - "Where. Are. The. Boys?"

James stepped in, and Desirée was pushed to his direction, tripping. He held her by the arms as she regained ballance and her hand flew to her neck where the dagger cut lightly. It came back blood stained.

"Perhaps now you'll cooperate." - the girl said, smiling cruelly - "Now where's the other boy? The cute one? I kinda missed him."


	13. "Love in my eyes, blinded by you"

"I know your reason to go back." - the girl said, looking deep into Desirée's green eyes - "But there's no reason in taking them with you."

Both girls were drinking tea on the hotel room, while the boys were out at some departament store buying camping supplies.

"I didn't want them to." - Desirée whispered -"They came because they wanted to. How would I stop them?"

"Well, it's a suicidal mission" - she replied, drinking her tea.

"What can I do? I have to go back."

"They don't."

Both stayed silent for a few moments, drinking their teas, falling deep into thoughts.

"What do you sugest?"

Shadows covered her eyes, a green so deep it looked almost black.

"Make them stay behind." - the taller girl simply said.

"How??" - Desirée stood up violently, making her teacup fall to the ground, breaking into a thousand pieces -"If I knew how I'd do it at once!"

"I can arrange that, if you allow me. I don't want them to get hurt either" - she stood up, holding Desirée's hand -"Leave now, and they won't be able to find or follow you. Go, and they'll be stuck here waiting for you to come back. They'll be safe. You'll be alone, that's true, but they will be safe."

Before she could answer, Merlion came back, with James right behind him, and Desirée looked to the ground.

"We shouldn't stay for long here, angel. Everyone knows we're wanted around here..."

"Sure, Merlion..." -she answered - "We'll leave first thing tomorrow."

With James looking concerningly to her, the random mysterious girl smiling and Merlion just digging the fridge for some food, she went to the other room and locked the door.


	14. "It's 2AM and I'm cursing your name"

That night, when the boys were sleeping and the mysterious girl long gone with the promise of coming back on the next day, Desirée packed the few things she brought along and silently left the hotel room.

Walking alone in the empty streets, head down and hood up, her thoughts rushed in an absurd speed.

Passing through the now closed National Museum of Natural History another hooded figure rose in front of her.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing??" - they said, holding her by the arms and shaking her lightly. She imediatelly recognized him, and held his stare until he let her go.

"I'm going back to that military camp, James." - she anounced, and then softened her tone - "Alone."

"And you just thought disappearing again was the best way to give us the news?"

"I left a note on the frigobar..."

"Yeah, I saw it. Very kind of you." - he rolled his eyes. James was furious, but she couldn't feel bad, she did what she believed was better - "Well... You won't get rid of me so easily"

James crossed his arms in front of his chest, and Desirée's mind wandered to a few days back, when her brother said the exact same words.

"Merlion will be soooo pissed..." - the boy said, smiling.

"We better get going then." - Desirée said, taking him by the arm and pulling him foward -"I can't fight you anyway..."

"You underestimate yourself." - he whispered in her ear, making a rush of electricity run through her spine and her cheeks turn scarlet.

After that they walked in silence for the rest of the night and into the next day.


End file.
